The Grant Wood Art Colony invites proposals for papers exploring the dynamic relationship between literature and the visual arts, with special attention to Grant Wood’s engagement with writers, writing, and literary culture. This symposium will examine how words and images shape one another and how Grant Wood’s work continues to inspire literary reflection today. 

Grant Wood is best known as a painter, including some images with literary references. He was also an illustrator of books and a participant in literary circles. His friendships and collaborations with prominent writers—including Paul Engle and Eric Knight—and his involvement with the University of Iowa’s Times Club reveal a deep commitment to relationships between visual art and literature.  More recently, modern writers continue to interpret and reimagine “Grant Wood country,” finding new meanings in his landscapes, themes, and legacy. 

This symposium will bring together artists, scholars, and writers to explore these intersections and to consider how Grant Wood’s work participates in broader traditions of narrative and cultural storytelling. 

Suggested Topics Include (but are not limited to): 

Submission Guidelines: 

Proposals will be peer-reviewed. Speakers invited to present papers will receive a stipend to use for travel and overnight accommodation. Every participant is expected to participate fully in the two-day event.  

Proposals should consist of a single PDF or Word file containing the following:  

Submissions are welcome from scholars, independent researchers, writers, artists, and graduate students. 

Important Dates: 

Proposals should be submitted to: 
Please submit a proposal via electronic mail to Maura Pilcher, grantwood@uiowa.edu